Evo LSD gearbox?

[Jonson]

Hey pimps, I searched first but to no luck.

I'm missing my front LSD hard so I'm toying with the idea of putting say an '01 JDM TME evo gearbox and transfer in. Has anyone done this?
After seeing the boxes numerous times they look identical.

If this can't be done are there any aftermarket LSD's available? I've searched all the usual places but only find Evo items.

Thanks for any help.
Jon

 

[fieldy107]

Someone on here has installed a front LSD, can't remember who exactly, Kenneth maybe?

 

[pu-11-me]

There a couple of guys who have put in a front LSD..... I think Will was another

 

[unclepaulie]

yup apparently an evo lsd will fit in. wil and kenneth are the two i know of, maybe bradc too

also, the evo box can fit, but needs modification to the top bolt holes. if you got the full box/gears and lsd, maybe as well keep the vr4 box but swap out the internals.

 

[Jonson]

Top bolts should be ok to mod as they aren't threaded, just straight through. Is kenneth active?
Thanks for the fast replies. Love ya's.

 

[Slinz]

Jon your Legnum is slowly but surely transforming into a big Evo wagon haha. How long until the 4G goes in?

 

[lathiat]

It would most likely be cheaper & easier to source a Quaife LSD (i can vouch these units are fantastic) - and get it fitted into your existing tranfer case.
Rate on the quaife LSD is around $1000-$1500 AUD. I imagine labour to install in the transfer case would be on order of $400-$500.

No need to swap out the gearbox unless you also want to upgrade the center diff. I did some reading online and a bunch of evo guys seem to imply that a front LSD does far more than a center LSD and that an open center is fine with a front LSD. Even on non-ACD equipped evos. That's only some peoples opinion of course.

I'm contemplating doing the front myself.


I understand the gearbox internals are identical, and the transfer case is entirely identical. So you could swap out the transfer case wholesale quite easily, the gearbox was already discussed earlier in the thread with people more knowledgable than I!

 

[Kenneth]

If you want a front LSD then the simplest way to do it is get a transfer case (Evo 4+ but pre evo 7) which already has one in. Once you have this, it is a direct swap for your VR-4 transfer case.

There is no need to swap your gearbox, in fact there is a very very good reason not to. VR-4s have a 4.111 final drive which is less than the evo (4.3 something?). This of course is done to suit the available power disappearing at 6k RPM.

If you are not planning on towing, then doing a gear set swap (keeping the 4.111 final drive / output shaft set) so you can get the 2.785 and 1.95 first and second ratios. The standard 1st ratio is pretty useless as you are over it before you get anywhere.

If you are really brave you can get a Evo7+ transfer case and copy my ACD graft. I still need to source the ACD transfer case pressure line to finish it You wouldn't know where I can get one cheap would you? (only person who had one wanted $300 for it!)

 

[Jonson]

Tom- Lol, I just want to be happy with it, but it just spins when powering out of corners. No point in having heaps of power if you can't get it on the floor
Awesome. Thanks Kenneth. I'm going shopping then.
As for the pressure line, it is just a flare nut on the pump end and a banjo on the transfer end....isn't it? Would be bery easy to make up out of Pirtek high press. rubber hose.

Thanks again.

 

[Kenneth]

Yeah, you won't be disappointed. Unless you plan on going on some fairly bad surfaces I would also ditch the centre VC as well. The turning capability with an open centre and front helical LSD is much better than standard.

 

[Kenneth]

It might be interesting to try a front LSD with the VCU in place though, I did too many modifications at one time to be able to pinpoint exactly what gave the most improvement.

 

[unclepaulie]

is the stock an open centre or viscous?

 

[Kenneth]

Standard centre is an open diff which is viscously coupled in the transfer case.

 

[unclepaulie]

ahhh i see!

i think ill start keeping an eye out for some evo gears and a front lsd

 

[Kenneth]

One more thing. If you have the transfer case out of the car, you should take the time to check the bearing preload and do the 10mm casing bolt upgrade. Fairly cheap to do but can save you a transfer case if you like to thrash it.

 

[Jonson]

Link me? Which 10mm on the Transfer?

 

[Kenneth]

I don't think there are any specific links, you just drill out the casing threads and re-tap for 10mm bolts (standard are 8mm). You then get a couple of extra lb-ft of torque on the bolts. I think it might be increased to about 32lb-ft per bolt from about 23lb-ft